Hideyoshi Toyotomi – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

205.Matsuoyama Castle Part1

The battle of Sekigahara, which occurred in 1600, is one of the biggest events in Japanese history. The highlight of the battle has been said to be the betrayal of Hideaki Kobayakawa. However, historians are trying to re-create the Sekigahara story by reviewing the few remaining primary sources and some of the secondary ones which were reliable.

Location and History

Introduction

The battle of Sekigahara, which occurred on the 15th of September 1600 (according to the lunar calendar), is one of the biggest events in Japanese history. The highlight of the battle has been said to be the betrayal of Hideaki Kobayakawa. The widely accepted theory says the followings. Hideaki first supported the western allies and settled on Matsuoyama Castle, in the south of the Sekigahara field. However, he still waited to see the battle for a while, wondering which ally would be better, the eastern or the western. He had made a secret agreement with Ieyasu Tokugawa, who was the top of the eastern allies, to support. Initially, Koyakawa did not move, therefore Ieyasu got tired of waiting. He then ordered his soldiers to shoot at the Hideaki’s troops. The shooting was called “Toi-deppo” which means to force by guns. Hideaki was very surprised to hear that. In that instance, he quickly decided to support the eastern allies. This indecision by Kobayakawa lead to the death of Mitsunari, but gave victory to Ieyasu.

The folding screens of the Sekigahara Battle, owned by Sekigahara Town History and Folklore Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Recent studies suggest the betrayal of Hideaki and the Toi-deppo story.
The whole story of the Sekigahara battle is consisted of very few primary sources and many other secondary sources. The Toi-deppo story comes from one of the secondary sources. The Sekigahara Battle is long. One part of the story refers to Toi-Deppo, which was first written in the Keicho Gunki, a war chronicle which was written over 50 years after the battle. If the story is a fiction, the timing of Hideaki’s decision would also be doubtful. Historians are trying to re-create the Sekigahara story by reviewing the few remaining primary sources and some of the secondary ones which were reliable. In addition, Matsuoyama Castle has been said to be the base of Hideaki Kobayakawa during the Sekigahara battle. However, it would also be important to know when and how the castle was built and used.

The portrait of Hideaki Kobayakawa, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

This article will explain three different theories of Hideaki and Matsuoyama Castle with three different viewpoints.
The viewpoints will include:
a. What and where did Hideaki go before the Sekigahara battle?
b. Why did Sekigahara become the battlefield and when and how did Hideaki settle on Matsuoyama Castle?
c. When did Hideaki really decided to support the eastern allies?

The theories on this article will include:

The defacto theory including the Toi-deppo story
The theory that Hideaki was not a betrayer
The theory that the western allies would attack Matsuoyama Castle

As a preface, I will describe the prehistory of Hideaki and Matsuoyama Castle before the battle.

Hideaki and Matsuoyama Castle before Sekigahara Battle.

Hideaki was born in 1582 as the fifth boy of Iesada Kinoshita who was the big brother of Kitano-mandokoro, the first lady of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. He was adopted by Hideyoshi when he was a child and was raised by Kitano-mandokoro. Surprisingly, Hiedaki celebrated his Coming of Age at only 7 years old and became a noble. This was because he was one of the candidates to be Hideyoshi’s successor. However, after Hideyori Toyotomi, Hideyoshi’s own child was born, Hideaki was adopted again by the Kobayakawa Clan. Hideyoshi thought Hideyori would have become his successor.

The portrait of Iesada Kinoshita, the biological father of Hideaki, owned by Kenninji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

There is an interesting episode about that from a war chronicle as follow. Hideyoshi originally wanted to adopt Hideaki to the Mori Clan and for the Mori Clan to take over, which was the head family of the Kobayakawa Clan. Takakage Kobayakawa, the lord of the clan offered to Hideyoshi to accept Hideaki to protect his master. However, according to historians, Takakage probably decided it by himself. This was because Takakage was an independent lord after he was given his own territory by Hideyoshi. Takakage assumed he would return the territory to Hideyoshi so that he could build a good relationship with him.

*The portrait of Takakage Kobayakawa, owned by Beisanji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Hideaki’s new territory was at Chikuzen Province (which is part of Fukuoka Prefecture now) which was one of the basements for the invasion of Korea by Hideyoshi. Hideaki also went to Korea as the supreme commander when he was 16 years old (so, it was just a formality). However, when he went back to Japan in 1598, he was forced to move to Echizen Province (the current Fukui Pref.) by Hideyoshi. The reason for it is uncertain. War cornicles suggest that Hideaki made a mistake in the invasion, while historians speculate that Hideyoshi wanted to rule Chikuzen Province directly to boost his invasion. The fact is, after Hideyoshi died, that Hideaki returned to Chikuzen Province and was considered one of the great lords of Japan, following the members of Counsil of Five Elders in the top government. This would trigger the Battle of Sekigahara.

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Matsuoyama Castle was located on the border between Omi (the current Shiga Pref.) and Mino (Gifu Pref.) Provinces. A record says that a retainer of Nagamasa Azai, who owned Omi Province, was assigned to the castle during the Sengoku Period. This was probably because Nagamasa was against Nobunaga Oda who owned Mino Province at that time. Nobunaga would eventually get Omi Province before the castle was abandoned. On the 10th of Argust, 1600 (according to the luna calendar), Mitsunari Ishida entered Ogaki Castle. Mitsunari ordered his retainer to resume Matsuoyama Castle. Mitsunari thought that his Western Allies would attack the Eastern Allies based on Ogaki Castle, backed up by other mountain castles. Matsuoyama Castle was one of them. A historian speculates that Mitsunari thought that Terumoto Mori, the greatest lord in the Western Allies would enter Matsuoyama Castle. Anyway, the castle was refortified again to prepare for the battle.

The flag of Hideaki Kobayakawa at the ruins of Matsuoyama Castle; You can see this flag on top of the mountain, This is a modern flag that helps tourist find this location

Defacto theory including Toi-deppo story

It is confirmed that the Western Allies captured Fushimi Castle on the 1st of August (according to the lunar calendar). It is also certain that the troops of Hideaki Kobayakawa joined the attackers as the main force. After that, according to the de facto theory, many of the Western Allies, including Mitsunari Ishida, stayed in Ogaki Castle, while Hideaki marched over to Omi Province (the current Shiga Province). There is evidence of his actions there. remains at a temple of the province. There is a noticeboard where Hideak’s soldiers were asked not to be violent in the temple. Hideaki still supported the Western Allies, however, he also negotiated with the Eastern Allies. A secret letter from Nagamasa Kuroda and Yoshinaga Asano was given to Hideaki before the battle. The letter is written as followed.

“We (Nagamasa and Yoshinaga) will need to serve Kitano-mandokoro.
You need to decide whether or not you will support us until Ieyasu arrives here.”

Kitano-mandokoro took care of Nagamasa earlier on. He managed to persuade Hideaki that it would be needed to support the Eastern Allies if Hideaki wanted to serve Kitano-mandokoro from then on.

The temple whom Hideaki gave the noticeboard (quoted from the website of Maibara City)

Ieyasu arrived at Aakasaka Camp on the 14th of September, near Ogaki Castle. He wanted to have an open field battle, which he was good at, so he needed to lure Mitsunari out from the castle. Ieyasu intentionally announced that he would attack Sawayama Castle, which was Mitsunari’s home and far to the west from Ogaki. When Mitsunari heard this, he was surprised and left the castle in a hurry, got ahead of Ieyasu, and took up positions on Sekigahara Field on the way to Sawayama. Hideaki also reached Matsuoyama Castle in the south of Sekigahara in accordance with Mitsunari’s instructions. Historians speculate that Mitsunari might have tried to escape to Sawayama Castle with his own decision. This is because a letter of Hiroie Kikkawa, who was one of the members of the Western Allies on Nangusan Castle between Ogaki and Sekigahara, says so. However, Mitsunari couldn’t do that because had to prevent the eastern allies from invading Sekigahara on the way there. Yoshitsugu Otani, a lord of the Western Allies only expected that Hideaki would betray him, therefore, Yoshitsugu’s troops moved closer to Matsuoyama.

The portrait of Mitsunari Ishida, from the database of Historiographical Institute, the University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The battle between the Eastern and the Western Allies occurred early in the morning on the 15th of September. It went back and forth until noon. Hiroie’s troops on Nangusan and Kobayakawa’s troops didn’t move because of their secret pact with Ieyasu. However, Ieyasu got annoyed as Hideaki had also promised that he would join the Eastern Allies. That’s why Ieyasu ordered the Toi-deppo (a way to induce or encourage solider to move by shooting directly at them). Hideaki’s decision happened around noon. Some of the soldiers who joined the Western Allies testified after the battle as followed:

“The Eastern Allies and Otani’s troops battled each other 6 or 7 times in the morning. Kobayakawa’s troops, then, rushed down from the mountain into Otani’s side and destroyed them.”

As for the Toi-deppo story, it may be a fiction as mentioned above. However, a historian found another tradition that might have been the origin of the story as followed:

An old man in Bizen Province (the current Okayama Pref.) heard about an interesting story from Kobayakawa’s retainer. During the battle, Hideaki heard gunshots at the foot of the mountain. His retainers reported that the shooters of the Eastern Allies said that the gunshots were not intentional and that they just misfired. The retainers also added it might have included something else.

The historian speculates that the shooting could have been an indirect warning from Ieyasu. However, this theory is still not the number one theory according to historians.

The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, owned by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Theory that Hideaki was not a Betrayer

I will next explain a new theory about Hideaki and Matsuoyama Castle. Accorting to this theory, it is uncertain where Hideaki was after the battle of Fushimi Castle just before the Sekigahara Battle. The de facto theory says he was in Omi Province at that time. However, that comes from the family records of the Inaba Clan which was written during the Edo Period. The records also say their founder, who was a senior vassal of Hideaki, captured Matsuoyama Castle for the Eastern Allies. That means the records were manipulated by his descendants to show their contributions to the current shogunate, which may not be plausible now. On the other hand, a lord of the Eastern Allies reported that Hideaki stayed in Ogaki Castle just before the Sekigahara Battle. This is contradictory. Overall, in my opinion, I think Hideaki was undecided as to who he would support until the moment he rode up the mountain.

The portrait of Masanari Inaba, who was a senior vassal of Hideaki, owned by Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

In fact, there is also no certain evidence where Hideaki was positioned at the beginning of Sekigahara Battle. However, another evidence suggests it. The letter of Hiroie Kikkawa, mentioned above, says an interesting matter just before the battle.

“The Western Allies moved from Ogaki Castle to Yamanaka (the west of Sekigahara) in order to rescue Yoshitsugu Otani because Hedeaki would be fighting against them.”

According to the letter, Hideaki and Yoshitsugu had already arrived early to inspect the field. In addition, a letter that Masamune Date wrote, who was reported from his relative about the Sekigahara battle, also says:

“The Western Allies moved from Ogaki Castle to support Nangusan Castle.”

Overall, historians speculate why Sekigahara became the battlefield as followed: Ieyasu at Akasaka Camp first tried to attack Nangusan Castle. Mitsunari heard about this and tried to intercept Hideaki, so he decided to leave Ogaki Castle and went to Sekigahara. Then, Hiroie Kikkawa at Nangusan Castle surrendered to Ieyasu who next ordered his troops to chase after Mitsunari. The Western Allies eventually reached Yamanaka and positioned themselves, which was not Sekigahara. This is another different point from the defacto theory.

*The portrait of Hiroie Kikkawa, owned by Historiographical Institute the University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

If they are true, Hideaki declared he would join the Eastern Allies at the latest the day before the battle. The battle started around 10am, where Hideaki joined it at the same time, and the Western Allies were defeated by the Eastern Allies quickly. They are different from the defacto story. The theories of the starting time of the battle are also different depending on the testimonies of the participants. Historians speculate as followed. In the early morning at Sekigahara field which was covered in fog. The Otani troops went ahead from the Yamanaka area to the Sekigahara field. It first battled against the frontline of the Eastern Allies. When the fog cleared up around 10am, the Kobayakawa troops attacked the Otani troops which would eventually be destroyed. After that, the main forces from both the Eastern and Western Allies fought against each other at the Yamanaka area, but the Western Allies were also destroyed in a short amount of time. Ieyasu wrote in his letters that Hideaki worked well in Sekigahara and his troops destroyed the Western Allies including Mitsunari in Yamanaka.

The last position of Ieyasu Tokugawa at the Sekigahara field, this is the encampment of the eastern allies, The two inner flags show Ieyasu’s family crest, while the two outer flags show his motto

The theory that Western Allies would attack Matsuoyama Castle

The previous theory can help us understand that Hideaki was not a betrayer in the middle of the battle. However, the theory is consisted of much circumstantial evidence. It doesn’t show us the clear conflicted formation between Hideaki and the Western Allies. (Situations of battles may sometimes be like that.) Another theory by another historian may clear this up. The main idea of the theory is that the Sekigahara Battle happened when the Western Allies tried to destroy Hideaki’s troops on Matsuoyama Castle. In this theory, Hideaki was stationed in Omi Province and negotiated with the Eastern Allies before entering the castile, the same as the defacto theory. However, the theory speculates that Hideaki made his decision to join the Eastern Allies in advance of reaching Matsuoyama Castle, which is the different point from the defacto theory.

The biggest difference in this theory from other ones is the reason why Mitsunari left Ogaki Castle. According to this theory, Mitsunari heard about Hideaki’s rebellion during the meeting at the castle on the 14th of September, the day before the Sekigahara Battle. Mitsunari decided to leave the castle to destroy Hideaki. One of the pieces of evidence for the theory is the same part of the letter Hiroie Kikkawa wrote, as the previous theory uses. It says “the Western Allies went from Ogaki Castle to Yamanaka (near Sekigahara) in order to rescue Yoshitsugu Otani because Hideaki would be fighting against them” in the previous theory. However, the same part says in this theory that “The Western Allies were going to attack Yamanaka, which meant Hideaki’s rebellion became obvious, so Yoshitsugu Otani followed them from Ogaki Castle.” Why are the interpretations of the same part so different between each other? This is probably because letters of warlords were usually written using simple and often vague facts, so that the interpretations of the current historians may sometimes become different. Another reason is sometimes the messenger would be intercepted, and vague instructions would be hard for the enemy to understand.

The grave of Yoshitsugu Otani in the Yamanaka area

Mitsunari was positioned on Jigai-ga-oka Hill in front of Matsuoyama Castle on Matsuoyama Mountain, not on Sasaoyama Mountain which the defacto theory says. According to the testimonies of some soldiers who joined the battle, the Ukita and Konishi’s troops were on the frontline against the castle to the south, back upped by the Shimazu’s troops. Mitsunari’s troops were in the eastern side of the Shimazu. The Eastern Allies including Ieyasu chased after Mitsunari in order to rescue Hideaki who had already joined them. That’s why they saw, from the east, the Western Allies like Miatunari on the frontline, back upped by the Shimazu’s troops, which were written in other records. The Otani’s troops finally arrived and was positioned at Sekigahara field in the eastern side of his allies. As a result, they were first attacked by the Eastern Allies, then sandwiched between the Eastern Allies and Hideaki’s troops, and eventually destroyed.

Some of the soldiers who joined the Western Allies testified after the battle as followed:

“The Eastern Allies and Otani’s troops battled each other 6 or 7 times in the morning. Kobayakawa’s troops, then, rushed down from the mountain into Otani’s side and destroyed them.”

This is the same testimony that proves the defacto theory.
It is very interesting that this testimony proves two different situations.

To be continued in “Matsuoyama Castle Part2”

51.Azuchi Castle Part1

Azuchi Castle, which had many unique characters, suddenly appeared and disappeared in a short amount of time like its master, Nobunaga. As a result, it has a lot of mysteries which attract us. This article will focus on 5 items of the mysteries, which people often dispute about.

Azuchi Castle was, needless to say, known for the final and most popular home of Nobunaga Oda. Other than that, he created a typical style of Japanese castles, including the main tower, turrets, and white walls on top of the stone walls, which are guarded by defensive gates and are surrounded by water moats. The style was passed down from one generation to the next by other great Japanese lords. That’s why we still think it as the most typical Japanese castles’ style. Therefore, Azuchi castle was the inspiration for many other castles that came after it.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

However, the castle had a very short life for its impact. The construction of the castle launched in 1576. Nobunaga started to live in its main tower three years later. Its completion was done in September of 1581 (according to the luna calendar), just 9 months before Nobunaga’s death during the Honnoji Incident in Kyoto on the 3rd of June the following year. The main tower of the castle was burned down around the 15th of June for some unknown reasons. The Oda’s relatives still used the remaining parts of the castle for a while. Atter that, the castle was eventually abandoned in 1585 because their new home, which was called Hachimanyama Castle, was completed.

As you saw, the castle, which had many unique characters, suddenly appeared and disappeared in a short amount of time like its master, Nobunaga. As a result, it has a lot of mysteries which attract us. For example, its own name “Azuchi” is one of them. A record of the Hosokawa Clan says that Nobunaga changed the name of the land to Azuchi. However, the record doesn’t say why. Some speculate the name came from Kyoto’s nickname “Heian-rakudo” which borrows the two Chinese characters of Azuchi (安土). The original Chinese characters of Heian-rakudo is as followed: 平安楽土. They think Nobunaga wanted the castle to be the new capital of Japan. The speculation is not very plausible because other experts argue that other speculations are more plausible.

This article will focus on 5 items of the mysteries, which people often dispute about. I will also compare Theory A with Theory B for each item by summarizing the opinions about each one. Theory A will mainly consist of conventional wisdom from the officials, historians, and experts. Theory B, on the other hand, will focus on the opinions of Mr. Senda who is a famous castle archaeologist and from me (in the last part).

Location and History (Mystery Showdown)

Mystery of the Straight Main Route to the Mountain

Introduction

A surprising thing was discovered in the ruins of Azuchi Castle during the excavations since 1989 by Shiga Prefecture. Castles on mountains during the Sengoku Period usually had zigzagged routes to the top and had defensive walls, gates and turrets on the way to the top. Azuchi Castle Ruins had had stone walls on the way of the main route, which looked like a typical mountain castle at that time. However, the stone walls were built by Sokenji Temple at Azuchi Mountain during the Edo Period, abd not the Sengoku Period. The excavation team removed the stone walls and discovered that there was the original straight main route to the mountain, which is approximately 180m long. It also found the ruins of residential areas maybe for the senior vassals along the route, such as “Hideyoshi Hashiba (then later Hideyoshi Toyotomi who would be the ruler of Japan). In addition, four gate ruins were found around the entrance of the route. Three of the four gates had a simple design, called “Hira-koguchi”, where visitors (and possibly enemies) could have passed through easily. I wonder Why the straight main route was built instead of the zigzagged route which is typical of defensive castles during the Sengoku Period?

The diorama of the stone walls on the main route before it was removed, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum

The ruins of the residence of Hideyoshi Hashiba

Theory A

One theory suggests this route was used only for special visitors in special cases. It was particularly considered as the route for the emperor’s royal visit to Azuchi Castle though it never happened. That’s why the route was built straight for the convenience of the visitors. The straight layout might also have been emulated to look like the central street of Kyoto. In addition, there are no records of this route because it was rarely used. The three simple gates around the route entrance must have also been built only for these visits. The layouts were very similar to that of the imperial palace at that time. The gates were used depending on the visitors’ classes. The ruins of the residential areas along the route might have been used as the facilities for the visitors. According to the imaginary drawing through the use of CG of the main route, the great main tower of the castle stands over there (refer to the third picture at the bottom). The visitors on the route would feel the power of the castle’s master, Nobunaga Oda

The diorama of Azuchi Castle, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum

The imaginary drawing of the main route of Azuchi Castle, exhibited by Gifu Castle

Theory B

The next theory was the main route was built not only for the royal visit, but also for the residential areas, as I mentioned earlier. In fact, Nobunaga had built the similar straight main route in Komakiyama Castle on Komakiyama Mountain, which was his home earlier on. The residential areas of his senior vassals were constructed along the route, too. The route was straight until the midway point of the slope of the mountain but the route above had zigzagged patterns for defensive purposes. This had been done when Nobunaga was young, so he never met the emperor. Azuchi Castle had the same system as Komakiyama Castle. The route to the top zigzags after 180m. Several defensive gates were also built on the way to the upper part. Why didn’t Nobunaga make all the routes straight if he wanted them to use only for the royal visits? The reason for the three simple gates were designed to classify Nobunaga’s retainers when they went to the castle. In addition, the masters of the residential areas of Azuchi Castle were very busy and had their own territories in other locations. As a result, the areas were usually vacant, which wouldn’t appear on records.

The zigzagged route of Komakiyama Castle just after the straight route

Mystery of the Main Hall

Introduction

The excavation team also researched the top area of Azuchi Mountain, which includes the main enclosure. They found another answer. The team discovered that the stone foundations of the main hall on the enclosure have wider intervals than the typical halls at that time. After some studies, it was found that the layout of the stone foundations of Azuchi Castle Hall is very similar to that of Seiryoden Hall in the imperial palace during the Edo Period. Shincho-koki, which is the most reliable biography of Nobunaga, stated that Azuchi Castle had room for the royal visit or the emperor’s stay. A noble’s diary also says that the emperor would go to Azuchi. What did the main enclosure of Azuchi Castle really look like?

The current main enclosure of Azuchi Castle

Theory A

One plausible theory suggests there must have been the main hall for the emperor on the main enclosure. Nobunaga might have thought he would move the emperor and the capital of Japan from Kyoto to Azuchi. Before the construction of Azuchi Castle, Nobunaga retired as the lord of the Oda Clan. He also resigned from all his positions in the imperial court until the completion of the castle. Nobunaga might have wanted to be the person who surpasses all the positions of Samurai and the imperial court. He actually gave his castle in Kyoto to the current prince. He also adopted the prince’s son. These facts might indicate that Nobunaga would invite one of them to Azuchi as the new emperor. If the new emperor lived in the main hall of the main enclosure, Nobunaga could look down on him from the much higher main tower. That would symbolize Nobunaga was just like the most powerful monarch of Japan.

The portrait of Prince Sanehito, owned by Sennyuji Temple, (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Theory B

An alternative theory suggests the main hall must have been the government offices. Nobunaga usually lived in the main tower and the second enclosure, with his family where other people were rarely allowed to enter. The other third enclosure on the mountain was used as the reception hall. Therefore, if the main enclosure was used just for the emperor, there would be no place for the government to stay in. According to architects, it is impossible to determine what was built using only stone foundations. The Shincho-koki biography also states that there was another hall, called “Nanden” (which means “south hall”) in the enclosure. It was thought that Nobunaga usually met his retainers there. “The royal visit room”, written in the biography, also states that there was probably part of the hall or another small hall. As for Nobunaga’s position, he might have destined to become the next shogun, which was the traditional position for the new shogunate, according to a historian’s study.

The center of the diorama above, showing the second enclosure, the main tower ruins, the main enclosure, and the third enclosure (from the left to the right), exhibited by Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum

Mystery of the Main Tower

Introduction

The main tower of Azuchi Castle is one of the examples of the first proper high buildings for Japanese castles at that time. It was said that Nobunaga was the only person who lived in a main tower according to records. The tower must have had a spiritual aura and authoritative presence. According to Gyuichi Ota who was the author of the Shincho-koki biography and Luis Frois, a missionary who visited Japan at that time, it was about 32m tall (41m including the tower base) composed 5 levels (6 floors and 1 basement). The tower was very colorful. Especially, the 5th floor was a red octagon shape with Buddhist paintings on the inside walls. The top 6th floor was a golden square shape with Chinese saints’ painted on the inside walls. There are a lot of remaining stone foundations to the base, but they just lack the central one, which comes from the original conditions. What did the main tower actually look like?

The stone foundations of the tower base, which lacks the central one

The miniature model of the 5th floor, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Museum

The miniature model of the 6th floor, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Museum

Theory A

A popular theory suggests there is a drawing which shows the design of the tower, called “Tenshu-sashizu” (which means “the design of the tower”). It was recorded and passed down by a magistrate family of the Kaga Domain. It doesn’t say it is the design of Azuchi Castle tower, however, it matches the records mentioned above and the on-site situations. Dr. Akira Naito made a restoration plan using the drawing, which is wildly accepted. According to the plan, the tower had an atrium structure, and a pagoda on the center of the base without the stone foundation. Experts speculate that the pagoda would indicate the appearance from the ground, written in the Lotus Sutra. You can see the 1/20 scale model based on the plan in Azuchi Castle Museum. You can also see the real life model of the 5th and 6th floors of the tower in Nobunaga no Yakata Museum. The tower was vewed as a heaven for Nobunaga who would reign over the pagoda as the only living god.

The miniature model of the main tower, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Museum

The atrium structure and the pagoda in the model

A figure of Nobunaga siting on the 5th floor

Theory B

Others have argued the plan based on the Tenshu-sashizu drawing. They say that it is impossible that the characteristic atrium structure was not recorded. For this reason, there is another restoration plan which doesn’t the atrium. Furthermore, the most controversial problem is that if you rebuild the main tower just as Gyuichi said, the tower will have to hang over the existing base. Dr. Yoshihiro Senda has an alternative theory however. He says that the tower would be able to be supported by Kake-zukuri method. This method involves building the foundation by combining many columns and horizontal beams like lattices on rocks or the ground. Buildings using this method can been seen in some old shrines and temples such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto. It has also been seen in some castles like Himeji and Fukuyama. Dr. Senda points out the traces of stone foundation were found beside the base, which could indicate the Kake-zukuri method was used. In addition, the decisive evidence could be found in the future. Nobunaga sent the screen of illustration of Azuchi Castle, called “Azuchi-san-zu-byobu” to the Pope. The screen was once exhibited in the Vatican Palace but disappeared mysteriously. Officials from Shiga Prefecture is currently seeking for it in Italy. If it is found, it could be the discovery of the century.

The building based on the plan without the atrium (licensed by D-one via Wikimedia Commons)

An example of castle buildings using the Kake-zukuri method, at Fukuyama Castle, quoted from Fukuyama Castle Museum Website

The area beside the tower base, where the traces of stone foundation were found

The imaginary drawing of the “Azuchi-san-zu-byobu” screen

Mystery of Sokenji Temple

Introduction

Nobunaga founded Sokenji Temple inside Azuchi Castle. It is large for a castle. The materials of the temple were not new but were collected from older temples. This temple currently worships Nobunaga. However, curious to say, the temple officially says it was founded by a priest after Nobunaga died. According to Gyuichi’s records, there was a stone, named Bonsan, in the main tower. However, the stone was moved to the temple, according to Luis Frois. The temple was located at the middle point between the center of the castle and the side entrance. This point was important for protecting the castle, where defensive systems could have been built. So, why did Nobunaga build the temple instead of the systems?

The remaining Nio-mon Gate of Sokenji Temple

The remaining three-level tower of Sokenji Temple

Theory A

Frois also said that Nobunaga founded the temple in order to make people worship him there. The Bonsan stone was the icon of Nobunaga. Frois described that Nobunaga also built a public noticeboard which states people should go to the temple and worship him on his birthday. As a matter of fact, Nobunaga thought his birthday (the 11th of May according to the luna calendar) was like the birthday of the western people. For example, he moved to the main tower on that day, not during lucky days where most Japanese people believed in. The conclusion is that Nobunaga made the important spot as his holy place of the temple.

The grave of Nobunaga at the second enclosure

There is a stone on the grave, which looks like Bonsan

Theory B

In fact, it was not unusual that castles had temples inside them. For instance, Kannonji Castle near Azuchi had Kannon-seji Temple. Takakage Kobayakawa, who was a great warlord in the Chugoku Region, built Kyoshinji Temple in his Ni-Takayama Castle. During the Muromachi and Sengoku Periods, the Samurai ceremonies consisted of two phases. The first one was to confirm the master-servant relationship at Shuden places. The second was to communicate with each other at Kaisho places. In the case of Azuchi Castle, the center of the castle was clearly equivalent to a Shuden place. Meanwhile, Sokenji Temple must have been used as a Kaisho place. For example, when Nobunaga invited his ally, Ieyasu Tokugawa to Azuchi Castle, a Noh play (similar to Kabuki play) was held there. In addition, there are no records about people worshiping Nobunaga at the Japanese side.

The diorama of Kannonji Castle, exhibited by Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum

Kannon-seji Temple (licensed by Jnn via Wikipedia Commons)

Mystery of the Main Tower burning down

Introduction

The center of Azuchi Castle, including the main tower, was burned down around the 15th of June in 1582 (according to the luna calendar), just after the Honnoji Incident on the 2nd of June. The following list are the relatives who were involved in using the castle and also the prime suspects who might have burned it down.

・Katahide Gamo: He was at Azuchi Castle on behalf of Nobunaga when the incident happened. However, he left the castle with Nobunaga’s family on the 3rd of June after he heard about the incident.
・Mitsuhide Akechi: He entered the castle on the 5th of June after he killed Nobunaga during the incident. He then gave the treasures of the castle to his retainers and moved to his original home of Sakamoto Castle.
・Hidemitsu Akechi: He was Mitsuhide’s retainer and held the castle instead of Mitsuhide. He left the castle on the 14th of June after he heard about his master being beaten by Hideyoshi Hashiba on the 13th. Taikoki, which is one of Hideyoshi’s biographies, says Hidemitsu was responsible for setting the castle on fire.
・Nobukatsu Oda: He was Nobunaga’s son, and he entered the castle on the 15th of June. According to Luis Frois, it was Nobukatsu who burned the castle down.

The castle might have burned down accidentally or by night thieves. However, if you must speculate one person from the list, who was the biggest suspect?

The stone foundations of the main tower base

Theory A

Nobukatsu must be the suspect as Frois said. Hidemitsu had an alibi that he was at Sakamoto Castle on that day. The Taikoki biography is only adds to the blames of the Akechi Clan. Frois also said that Nobukatsu did it for no reasons because he was unwise. Before the incident, he selfishly attacked Iga Province, failed to do so, and was yelled at by Nobunaga. After the incident, he battled against Hideyoshi, together with Ieyasu Tokugawa. However, he eventually made peace with Hideyoshi who dangled a carrot in front of him, without Ieyasu’s permission. Finally, he was fired by Hideyoshi who became the ruler after the battle of Odawara Castle. He rejected the change of his territory, ordered by Hideyoshi, though Ieyasu accepted it. Nobukatsu was not able to understand the situations properly. He was so incompetent that he could impulsively destroy the legacy of his father who was also angry at him.

*The portrait of Nobukatsu Oda, owned by Sokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Theory B

This theory is believed in. Nobukatsu must be the suspect, too. However, he was not so incompetent that he did it for a good reason. When he attacked Iga Province, he was the independent lord of the Kitabatake Clan, so he could decide it. Nobunaga had adopted Nobukatsu to the clan as the next successor. He was still the lord of the Kitabatake Clan when he allied with Ieyasu. Hideyoshi mostly captured the territory of the clan (Ise Province) because Ieyasu was so strong. Nobukatsu had to compromise with Hideyoshi before his territory would be occupied. After that, he tried to mediate between Hideyoshi and Ieyasu. He also worked hard in the battle of Odawara Castle for Hideyoshi’s unification of Japan. Therefore, it might not be sensible for Nobukatsu to be fired completely even though he rejected Hideyoshi’s command. This might have been Hideyoshi’s strategy which attempted his prefered territory plan. After the Honnoji Incident, Nobukatsu wanted to be the lord of the Oda Clan, not just that of Kitabatake Clan. However, his brother, Notbutaka also wanted it. Nobukatsu might have burned the main tower down intentionally in order to prevent Nobutaka and other senior vassals from disturbing him.

The portrait of Nobutaka Oda, (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Azuchi Castle Part2”

23.Odawara Castle Part1

Odawara was supposed to be the capital of five generations of the Hojo Clan. The city is now supposed to be a popular tourist spot near Hakone hot spring. Odawara Castle first started as a small one in a new post town. The castle eventually grew under the rules of the Hojo Clan to one of the greatest castles during the Sengoku Period. It was finally turned into an important castle at the western edge of the Kanto Region during the Edo Period. The castle was located at the same place through all its life while it changed a lot, which is a very rare case. This article will focus on the history of the castle until the Sengoku Period.

Odawara was supposed to be the main castle for the five generations of the Hojo Clan. The city is now supposed to be a popular tourist spot near Hakone hot spring. Odawara Castle first started as a small one in a new transportation hub. The castle eventually grew under the rules of the Hojo Clan to one of the greatest castles during the Sengoku Period. It was finally turned into an important castle at the western edge of the Kanto Region during the Edo Period. The castle was located at the same place through all its life while it changed a lot, which is a very rare case. This article will focus on the history of the castle until the demise of The Hojo Clan during the Sengoku Period.

The current Odawara Castle, this main tower was rebuilt according to that during the Edo Period

Location and History (until Sengoku Period)

Beginning of the Castle and the Appearance of Sozui Ise

In the ancient time, passengers, who went to the Kanto Region from western Japan, didn’t often use the Hakone Route, but used the Ashigara Route instead. However, they eventually used the Hakone Route when some shrines near the route became more popular. Odawara was first formed as a transportation hub for the passengers not later than the 14th Century. On the other hand, Odawara Castle was thought to be built in the middle of the 15th Century. The Omori Clan, the first lord of the castle, built it in order to collect taxes from the passengers. For this reason, the castle was still small during its early stage.

The location of the castle

As for the location of the castle, it was said that it was first situated at Hachimanyama old enclosure, which is the north of the current Odawara Castle, and further away from the transportation hub. Considering the purpose of the castle, it may have been at the same place as the current one, or at Tenjinyama Hill, closer to the town.

In the beginning of the Sengoku Period, a man named Sozui Ise, became one of the biggest heroes at that time, and later would become a legend. According to the legend, he started only as a Ronin, but eventually became a great warlord, through his own excellent talent. This has been recognized as a big success story of “Gekokujo” which means “giant killer”. However, in recent studies, it was discovered that he was originally a shogunal military guard called Moritoki Ise. He went to Sunpu, which is the current Shizuoka City, to help his sister who was in a dispute about the succession. She was the wife of the Imagawa Clan’s previous lord and wanted her son to be the successor but had to compete with another candidate.

A copy of the portrait of Sozui Ise, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Sozui (Moritoki) succeeded in the son’s victory. He got Kokokuji Castle as an award of his contribution, which was the beginning of his real success story. The legend also says that Sozui drove the Omori Clan, which was the lord family of Odawara Castle, out from the castle, by tactics known as “Kagyu-no-kei”. Kagyu-no-kei refers to attacking enemies’ bases by using cows with lit torches on their horns. It was said that the statics had been done since the start of ancient China. However, the recent studies argue that it’s not that simple. According to a historical record, Sozui’s brother and the Omori Clan were actually on the same side at Odawara Castle and were defeated by the Uesugi Clan. Historians speculate that Sozui got Odawara Castle when they became enemies, or the castle was damaged because of a huge earthquake around 1500. Sozui was probably not only a hero, but also a practical man and a good negotiator. The castle was still a branch castle even after Sozui got it.

The statue of Sozui at Odawara Station, attacking by Kagyu-no-kei

Improvement of the Castle by Ujitsuna and Ujiyasu Hojo

Sozui’s successor was his son, Ujitsuna Hojo, who was the second generation of the Hojo Clan. However, Ujitsuna was the person who changed his family name from Ise to Hojo. Therefore, Sozui Ise’s well-known alternate name Soun Hojo did not exist while he was alive. Soun was his Dharma name (this is the name given after the person dies). The reason for the change of the family name would be to go against the authority of the Uesugi Clan, the Hojo’s enemy. The Uesugi Clan looked down on the Hojo Clan because they were outlaws from another province. The Hojo Clan needed to improve their own authority in order to attract the local lords by using their new family name. “Hojo” had been the family name of the vice-Shoguns during the Kamakura Shogunate. Ujitsuna also moved his clan’s home to Odawara Castle.

The portrait of Ujitsuna Hojo, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Ujitsuna’s son, Ujiyasu Hojo was the third generation of the clan. He managed to increase the clan’s territories in the southern Kanto Region, particularly after the victory of the battle of Kawagoe Castle against the Uesugi Clan in 1546. Odawara Castle and its town were becoming the center of the region. The original small transportation hub was turned into the castle town, being as large as that during the Edo Period. The Odawara Water Supply System was installed in the castle and the town. It is said to be one of the earliest water supply systems in Japan. As for the castle itself, the main portion of the castle was built, such as the current main and second enclosures. A priest, who visited Odawara Castle in 1551, recorded that there was a large pond surrounding the castle in three different directions. Part of the pond remains as the moat of the current second enclosure.

A copy of the portrait of Ujiyasu Hojo, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The moat of the current second enclosure

The first big crisis happened to Odawara Castle in 1561. Kenshin Uesugi invaded the Kanto Region from his home of Echigo Province, which is currently Nigata Prefecture, in order to revive his clan. Kenshin sieged Odawara Castle with his allies and over 100 thousand soldiers the following February (according to the luna calendar). However, the attackers withdrew soon as they did not prepare for a long siege. Ujiyasu Hojo, who was the lord of the clan, avoided fighting against Kenshin but waited patiently for the withdrawal. After Kenshin went back to his home, Ujiyasu got the territories and the retainers in the region back to the same side.

The portrait of Kenshin Uesugi, owned by the Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The second crisis occurred in October 1569 (according to the luna calendar). Shingen Takeda from Kai Province, which is currently Yamanashi Prefecture, invaded the Hojo’s territories and reached Odawara Castle on the 1st of October. Shingen first attacked the main gate, called Hasuike-mon (which means lotus-pond gate), and set the castle town on fire. Shingen’s troops also torched the hall of Ujimasa Hojo, Ujiyasu’s successor. Shingen stayed at Odawara for only five days and returned to his home. However, these two crises had a big impact on the Hojo Clan, especially on Ujimasa. When he followed his father’s position, he started to fortify Odawara Castle more and more. He probably thought that if he could build a castle that could withstand a long siege, no enemies would ever destroy it.

The portrait of Shingen Takeda, owned by Jimyo-in, in the 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The portrait of Ujimasa Hojo, owned by Odawara Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Goyomai Enclosure, where Ujimasa’s hall was built

Completion of the Castle by Ujimasa and Ujinao Hojo

The Hojo Clan reached its peak in the period of Ujimasa and his successor, Ujinao. This was because Kenshin died in 1578 and the power of the Takeda Clan decreased. The Hojo ruled most of the Kanto Region and built the network of their branch castles to maintain their government. Odawara Castle became the center of it. Ujimasa also fortified the castle. For example, the third enclosure was built on a plain land around the second enclosure. After that, the outer third enclosure was also built on a hill behind the main portion of the castle. They were constructed to protect the castle from potential enemies attacking it from the front and from the back. Furthermore, a large ditch was built to separate the highest hill around the castle, called Komine-Okane-no-dai, next to the outer third enclosure. All of them were made using soil. It was dug to create very steep moats and was mounded to make high earthen walls. The soil around the area came from volcanic ash, which is called Kanto loam layer. It’s naturally slimy, which made enemies slipped when they walk on the surface. The bottoms of the moats were also partitioned forming many square partitions, called Shoji-bori (which means sliding paper door-moat) and Une-bori (which means hilling-moat). If enemies fell to the bottom, they would be trapped and would never be able to escape from it.

The portrait of Ujinao Hojo, owned by Hounji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The large ditch at Komine-Okane-no-dai Hill

The Shoji-bori system in Yamanaka Castle

The development of the castle was related to the situation of the whole country and the diplomatic relations with other warlords. When Nobunaga Oda defeated the Takeda Clan in 1582, the Hojo was forced to be subordinate to Nobunaga. However, Nobunaga was killed during the Honnoji Incident in the same year. The Hojo, Tokugawa, Uesugi Clans battled each other in order to get the former territory of the Takeda Clan. A retainer of the Takeda Clan, the Sanada Clan gained power in order to be an independent lord by interrupting them. As time passed, Hideyoshi Toyotomi became the next ruler, ordering all the lords to stop fighting for themselves. Ujimasa ignored this new movement while other lords followed Hideyoshi by 1587. Ujimasa started a negotiation to serve the Hideyoshi side as well as the following year. One of the problems for the negotiation was about the Numata territory. There has been a dispute as to who was the true owner of the territory, between The Hojo Clan and Sanda Clan. Ujimasa asked Hideyoshi to resolve it. Hideyoshi’s decision was to give two thirds of the territory to the Hojo Clan and the other third to the Sanada Clan.

The portrait of Masayuki Sanada, privately owned (licensed under Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

On the other hand, Ujimasa continued to fortify Odawara Castle in case the negotiations broke down. The highlight of it was to surround the entire area of Odawara including the castle, the town and the hills behind them. This was done by building moats and earthen walls, whose perimeter was about 9km long. This structure is generally called So-gamae (which means outermost enclosure). Ujimasa probably thought that enemies would never enter Odawara, because of this long perimeter, called So-gamae structure.

The red line shows the estimated line of So-gamae structure

The imaginary drawing of the So-gamae structure, from the signboard at the site

In October of 1589 (according to the luna calendar), an incident happened at the Numata territory. The Sanada Clan argued to Hideyoshi that the Hojo Clan forcibly got Nagurumi Castle on the Sanada’s side. This angered Hideyoshi and he finally decided to destroy the Hojo Clan completely. However, there are several questionable points about the incident. Some historians point out that It might have come from a deception of Hideyoshi and the Sanada Clan. Anyway, the battle between them may have been necessary. Hideyoshi wanted more territories to give to his retainers while Ujimasa didn’t want to surrender to Hideyoshi so easily. The So-gamae structure was eventually completed after the two-year constructions before the battle would happen.

Battle of Odawara

In March of 1590 (according to the luna calendar), about 220,000 of soldiers, led by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, rushed into the Hojo’s territories. The number of the Hojo’s defenders was said to be about 80,000. About 50,000 of them were in Odawara Castle. The Hojo Clan probably expected that their enemies would be weakened by the network of the Hojo’s branch castles before they reached Odawara Castle. If they sieged the castle in poor conditions, the Hojo Clan could make peace with them in better conditions. However, most of the Hojo’s soldiers were drafted farmers, nor were they experienced, nor were they trained, and nor were they motivated. The battles occurred on the 28th of March at Matsuida Castle in Kozuke Province (which is currently Gunma Prefecture), and on the 29th at Yamanaka and Nirayama Castles near Odawara. Surprisingly, Yamanaka Castle, which had strong defensive systems like Shoji-bori, was captured in less than one day by the overwhelmingly powerful military force of the Toyotomi side. After that, the castles’ network of the Hojo side eventually collapsed. As a result, only 5 out of tens of the branch castles survived at the end of May. That was the first miscalculation for the Hojo Clan.

The network system of the Hojo’s castles, from the signboard at the site

The Toyotomi’s troops reached Odawara Castle as early as in the beginning of April, surrounding the castle with about 180,000 soldiers. Hideyoshi launched the construction of his new stronghold, which would be called Ishigakiyama Castle, within the month. However, even with huge troops, they were not able to enter the castle, because they were blocked by the So-gamae structure. The structure was 30m wide at max and over 10m deep, with its slope at over 50 degrees. On the other hand, the Hojo side also miscalculated the features of the Toyotomi’s troops. Many of them were professionals and were equipped with enough supply systems. That meant they could survive in their battlefield for a very long time. They reached a much higher level in the combat than those of the Uesugi and Takeda Clans earlier on. As a result, the attackers and the defenders faced each other across the So-gamae structure in April and May.

The war map of Odawara Castle, from the signboard at the site

On the 5th of June, Masamune Date, who was the greatest warlord of the Tohoku Region, arrived at Odawara to serve Hideyoshi. That made the Hojo Clan know that no supporters would help them. The negotiation between the Toyotomi and Hojo sides started behind the scenes. Ujimasa’s successor, Ujinao Hojo was in charge of it. In Japanese, there is a figurative expression called “Odawara Hyojo” which means an inconclusive long conference. People generally think the Hojo didn’t know what to do during the siege. The fact might have been different from it. As time passed, four of the five surviving branch castles were captured in June. Only Oshi Castle was bearing being sieged by the Toyotomi troops like Odawara Castle. Ishigakiyama Castle, which had great stone walls, was completed on the 26th of June as Hideyoshi’s stronghold. Its appearance may have threatened the defenders of Odawara Castle, just a few kilometers away from it.

The portrait of Masamune Date owned by Sendai City Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Ujinao finally surrendered to Hideyoshi on the 5th of July. It was said that the negotiation may have included a few territories reserved for the Hojo Clan. However, the decision of Hideyoshi, who completed his unification of Japan, was too strict to allow it. The four leaders of the Hojo side, including Ujimasa, were forced to do Harakiri. Even Ujinao, who made peace with Hideyoshi, was eventually expelled to Koyasan Temple. The Hojo Clan lost everything they had had. Some say that the decision had been planned from the beginning. The territorial allocation after the Battle of Odawara was as followed. Ieyasu Tokugawa moved from around the current Shizuoka Prefecture to the Kanto Region the Hojo Clan had had. Nobukatsu Oda, who was Nobunaga’s son but followed Hideyoshi, was also fired by Hideyoshi due to his rejection to move to Ieaysu’s previous territory. Hideyoshi gave the large vacant territories to his successor, Hidetsugu and his retainers. The satisfied retainers would monitor the actions of Ieyasu who was a potential enemy for Hideyoshi, killing two birds with one stone. In addition, the Sanada Clan got all of the Numata territory after the battle. Were they all coincidental?

The grave of Ujimasa Hojo, near Odawara Station

The Hojo Clan declined but Odawara Castle with the So-gamae structure was very effective against the attackers. For example, it was recorded that Kazuuji Nakamura, who owned Sunpu Castle, built So-gamae structure for his castle, too. In fact, Hideyoshi Toyotomi also built very long earthen walls to surround Kyoto, called O-doi, whose perimeter was about 23 km long. It was recently discovered that the walls had the Shoji-bori system. Hideyoshi also improved his home, Osaka Castle by building So-gamae structure from 1594. Some other lords, who joined the Battle of Odawara, built their own So-gamae as well, probably influenced by Odawara Castle.

The restored stone walls of Osaka Castle, used in its So-gamae structure

To be continued in “Odawara Castle Part2”